Washington DC -- Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA) announced today Congress will direct $67.5 millioin toward salmon recovery efforts on the Columbia River. Gorton inserted the measure into the Energy and Water Appropriations bill with language specifying none of the money will go toward drawdown studies at the John Day or McNary dams.

"The money will go to capital improvements to Columbia and Snake River dams so more fish can pass through safely," Gorton said. "We should support proven methods to save and protect our vibrant salmon runs, while retaining the benefits of our dams in the Pacific Northwest. I believe we can have both a vibrant agriculture economy and healthy salmon runs."

Gorton also included measures to extend the life of the Independent Scientific Review Panel which was scheduled to end next year. Gorton originally appointed the panel of scientists to be an objective, common-sense voice in the heated debate over how best to recover salmon in the Pacific Northwest while preserving human interests as well.

"I think this group of scientists, all from various backgrounds, have come together and done some excellent work in the best interest of salmon recovery efforts," Gorton said.

The FY2000 spending bill for Energy and Water, passed the Senate by a vote of 96-3. The President is expected to sign it this week.

Gorton has been widely recognized in the Pacific Northwest for his salmon recovery efforts and has used his leadership position in the Senate to increase federal salmon recovery funding for the state of Washington. In April, Gorton co-hosted a salmon recovery field hearing with Representative Norm Dicks . . . (sorry but the next page was unavailable)